Clarinet tuning barrels, that is, the tubular devices which are each connected between a mouthpiece and a clarinet body and form part of a clarinet, are commonly employed for slightly changing the pitch of a clarinet when tuning becomes necessary. A clarinet tuning barrel of this general type typically has an upper end portion joinable to a mouthpiece, a lower end portion joinable to a clarinet body, and a central portion therebetween.
A continuous bore extends through the upper, central and lower portions and forms part of the principal air passageway within the clarinet. The bore includes upper, central and lower cylindrical bores, such bores extending in series through the upper, central and lower portions of the tuning barrel.
The upper and lower bores typically have greater diameters than the central bore, allowing them to slidably receive and frictionally engage male portions of the mouthpiece and clarinet body, respectively. One or both of these interconnections can be adjusted slightly to extend or shorten the length of the clarinet. This action serves to slightly change the clarinet pitch, that is, to tune the clarinet.
Clarinets and clarinet tuning barrels are typically made of wood or plastic, although some clarinets have been of metal. Clarinet tuning barrels often have metal edge rings along the wooden or plastic lips at one or both of the ends.
Tuning barrels have a very significant effect on the performance of a clarinet, quite beyond their ability to tune the instrument. The position of the tuning barrel, immediately adjacent to the mouthpiece, accounts for this significant effect. The flow of air, as soon as it passes the mouthpiece, will both affect the tuning barrel and be affected by the tuning barrel.
Exhaled air is typically warm compared to ambient air and this can have an effect on the tuning barrel. This in turn has an effect on clarinet tone. Any irregularities or imperfections in the bore of the tuning barrel can cause eddies and irregularities in air flow which will continue and/or enlarge as the air continues through the clarinet. This also has an effect on clarinet tone.
Therefore, problems and imperfections in clarinet tuning barrels can have a substantial negative impact on the performance of the clarinets on which they are used, whether they be expensive, professional-quality clarinets or relatively inexpensive student clarinets. Likewise, improvements in tuning barrels can provide substantial performance improvements for the clarinets on which they are used, regardless of quality.
Over the long history of the clarinet, there have been various improvements in clarinet tuning barrels. However, it is quite clear that there are still many problems and deficiencies:
Problems with clarinet performance often relate to problems with the material and/or structure of the tuning barrel, and to questions of heat and/or moisture. Tonal qualities are often deficient due to variations and imperfections on the inside surface of the tuning barrel.
Wooden tuning barrels undergo swelling and shrinkage during the changing temperature and humidity conditions of changing seasons. In addition, placement of a clarinet, either in or out of its case, on or near a heating duct or radiator or for prolonged periods in the sunlight can cause drying and shrinkage which will then be interrupted by periods of relative swelling. Such swelling and shrinkage can perceptibly affect intonation. Such swelling and shrinkage over time also can cause imperfections in the bore, which themselves can perceptibly erode tonal quality.
Some of the problems mentioned above with respect to wooden tuning barrels are applicable to plastic tuning barrels as well. In addition, plastic tuning barrels have certain problems unique to themselves.
Sometimes plastic tuning barrels have or develop waviness or undulations on the inside surfaces of their bores due to plastic shrinkage or distortion. This most typically can occur immediately after a molding step, and can be severe, particularly if there is no subsequent bore machining step. Such imperfections, of course, affect tonal quality.
One very specific problem with clarinet tuning barrels of the prior art relates to the tendency of the metal rings at their ends to loosen and fall off. This is frequently caused by the distortive effects of heat, cold, moisture and/or dryness. Such loosening of rings often is accompanied by or results in cracked wood or chipped or cracked plastic which is, of course, deleterious to the tuning barrel and to clarinet performance.
The problems of heat and cold, in addition to affecting the long-term quality of tuning barrels, can have a more transitory effect related to the clarinet pitch. If the instrument is too hot or cold, there is a tendency for it to be off-tone. This problem is not dependent on the type of material, although materials less able to dissipate or absorb heat are more susceptible to such problems.
If an instrument becomes too warm, it has a tendency to become sharper, that is, too high in pitch, to a slight extent. During any normal playing, exhaled air by the clarinet player tends to heat the clarinet including the tuning barrel, and if such heat is not dissipated, slight imperfection in tone can result. Even during playing of a clarinet, the musician's relatively warm breath can have a heating effect on the tuning barrel, and it is desirable for such heat to dissipate quickly to maintain the barrel at a reasonable temperature.
When clarinets are exposed for long periods of time to very cold temperatures, as they often are during transport in the winter or in certain outdoor performances, they may have a tendency to be perceptibly flatter, that is, lower in pitch. Avoidance of extreme temperatures is desirable, but tuning barrels of the prior art tend not dissipate or absorb heat very quickly.
There is a significant need for improved clarinet tuning barrels.